Growing up only a few hours from South Dakota and having family in the Black Hills area meant spending many a weekend in South Dakota. I still remember fondly driving around as a family looking at all the old cars parked in fields, alleys, and any open buildings we might come across. No wonder me and Jesse have such a love for barn finds, we’ve been hunting for them since childhood! Going back year after year, I began to notice that each trip there were fewer and fewer old cars parked around the Black Hills. At one time it was a gold mine of unrestored classics, but it has slowly been picked clean. This 1955 Studebaker E10 was at one time in South Dakota, but like many of the cars from the area, it has been relocated. It is currently in the Swan Lake, New York area and still looks to be as discovered. The owner has decided to part ways and has listed it here on eBay.

I was always amazed by some of the cars we would come across in Rapid City and up in the hills. They weren’t shiny survivors, but were typically covered in a good coat of patina. The climate there must be perfect for causing surface rust, as many of the cars I’ve seen there look just like this Studebaker. As a matter of fact, I’m surprised South Dakota became the place to buy classics from. While surface rust like this one’s might provide a cool look, most of the vehicles I’ve seen there have serious cancer in the floors. Perhaps it was more the quantity of untouched old cars there that has put it on the classic car map?

This truck looks to be solid, well at least based on what can be seen in the seller’s poor quality photos. It will obviously need work, but the seller claims it currently runs. Getting it back on the road will require cleaning and installing the fuel tank and going through the brakes. It has some of that South Dakota rot I mentioned earlier, but the seller claims it is limited to just two spots. Given its look, I wouldn’t worry too much about the small rust holes and just focus on making it safe and fun to drive. It looks kind of mean in its current condition and like they say, it’s only original once! So besides South Dakota, can you think of any other areas known for their plethora of classic cars and trucks?